Foods High In Antioxidants Provided By: www.healthsenior.net   Just as fruits, vegetables and other foods turn brown and/or become damaged when exposed to the air, damage also occurs when the cells in the body use oxygen. The by-products produced during this process are called free radicals. Antioxidants are needed to repair or even prevent the damage caused by these free radicals. Fruits and Vegetables Fruits and vegetables, beans and grains are all food high in antioxidants. Bright colored fruits and vegetables such as cantaloupe, apricots, carrots and broccoli are rich not only in antioxidants but in vitamin A also. You'll reap the benefits of vitamin C, along with antioxidants by eating citrus fruits like oranges and green leafy vegetables. Some food high in antioxidant and vitamin E benefits include nuts and seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and vegetable oil. Although dried and frozen fruits are also a good source of antioxidants, whole fruit has many more antioxidants and they're low in calories. If you do choose dried or frozen fruit, be sure and purchase those with no added sugar. Much of the healthy food one is advised to eat is food high in antioxidants. Berry Good for You Berries are more versatile and have more antioxidants than any other fruit. Add them to your breakfast cereal, salads and make scrumptious desserts while maintaining the healthy aspects without adding calories. One study reports that a cup of berries will provide all the daily antioxidants needed for optimum health. However, there are many different kinds of antioxidants and the best way to obtain the full benefit of them is to eat a variety of food high in antioxidants. Cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes, apples peaches, mangos, melons, pineapple and dried fruits all count as food high in antioxidants. The overall antioxidant content in some food is raised when cooking while some food high in antioxidant levels lose much of those antioxidants. Recommendations The American Heart Association does not recommend taking antioxidant supplements until such time as more information is learned about these supplements. As is the case with vitamins, you can rarely eat enough food high in antioxidants to produce a toxic level but when too many supplements are taken, not only can they interfere with medication one may be taking, but dangerous levels can be reached resulting in toxicity. Some studies suggest that certain antioxidants play a pivotal role in the prevention of some cancers, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and macular degeneration. Some antioxidants, such as those found in grapes and grape juice reportedly lowered LDL cholesterol. If you're watching your weight, though you'll want to eat more grapes and drink grape juice in moderation because of the caloric content. Since the overwhelming majority of foods high in antioxidants are good sources of the vitamins and minerals you need, antioxidants provide another reason to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Even though smokers and those who spend a lot of time in the sun may need more antioxidants, it is still best to obtain them by eating a healthy balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables. Not only can eating healthy potentially extend one's life, it can also improve the quality of it. IMPORTANT: If you’d like more information on Food High In Antioxidant Click Here